Unrealized and unrealistic expectations: Brandon Jennings is gone

Once a young promising young rookie, now Brandon Jennings is just another Bucks draft pick who has moved on. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)

Brandon Jennings really couldn’t have arrived in Milwaukee at a better or worse time.

He was very good immediately. Too good. Jennings was a superstar for his first 11 games in Milwaukee, there’s really no other way to phrase it. But 11 games is just enough time to be dangerous in a city with the recent history Milwaukee had in 2009.

Bucks fans had been desperate for a star player for quite some time. Milwaukee traded Ray Allen in 2003 and was heavily reliant on Michael Redd to be a star after that. Redd kept the Bucks mediocre, but didn’t have the help or ability to take them any further than that. After a few years trying their hardest to be a good team, the Bucks bottomed out in 2006-07 and 2007-08. The resulting draft picks? Yi Jianlian and Joe Alexander. Not exactly the stars Milwaukee needed to revitalize a struggling franchise.

That’s the situation Jennings stepped into in 2009. John Hammond had already traded Yi and the player he acquired for Yi, Richard Jefferson and was moving quickly to distance himself from his mistake with Alexander. It had been a long time since the Bucks had a first round pick of their own that turned into an important player, so 11 superstar type games was a big deal. Milwaukee was starved and Jennings looked like prime rib.

But Jennings was more of a hamburger. Not a McDonald’s burger or anything, he was restaurant quality, but once you’re at the restaurant that you think is serving up some kick ass prime rib, when you find out you’re getting a burger instead, things can get pretty ugly. Especially when you’re a hefty fella that hasn’t had a bite in a while.

If Jennings maintained something close to the production level he produced over his first 11 games over the next four years, he would have been exalted, lawyers would have courted him for commercials and he could be stepping into Ryan Braun’s shoes right now as Aaron Rodgers‘ partner in the local restaurant and good times business.

Bucks fans wanted (hell, we still want to) to believe in something, but they wouldn’t just believe in anything.

By the end of last season, Jennings certainly seemed like “just anything.” Four years into his career, his production was nowhere near what it was over that special first 11 games. It was his fault our expectations got so high, but it wasn’t his fault that we were so desperate that we were still living off 11 games four years later. Those 11 games seem so far in the past now that he’s gone, now that there’s no reason for Bucks fans to try and fool themselves anymore. At this point, he might be as remembered for his sub 30% field goal percentage against the Heat in his final games as the Bucks starting point guard as he is for his 55 point game.

His development was so incremental that it was hardly noticeable if it was there at all on offense and completely absent on defense. He was in a bad situation, playing with a two guard that made no sense, but it didn’t seem like he did anything to improve things either. Of course, he still was an above average player capable of big nights and just 23-years-old. Expectations are a crazy thing.

Fans were exhausted with Jennings, but it wasn’t just him. By the end of last season, the organization seemed to have taken so many steps back since 2009-10. Some of those steps were the fault of management, some of them horrible accidents. That team was a fleeting hope in a decade of misery, wiped out when Andrew Bogut fell. Jennings and the Bucks seemed the same — stuck. Neither was getting much better or much worse and it seemed as long as they were together, they’d be stuck in basketball purgatory.

By the end of last season, things had grown toxic in Milwaukee. Supposedly in the locker room and definitely in the stands. He probably had to go. Had he come back on that qualifying offer everyone would have been walking around the issue like Bruce Willis stepping on glass in Die Hard.

There’s a sense of relief now among the Bucks fans I know and have tweeted back and forth with. Jennings was the last piece of a frustrating mini-era that had a high high and very mediocre lows, the worst kind of lows in the NBA. Like Jennings, the John Hammond era Bucks started with so much promise and have ultimately gone nowhere. But both Jennings and Hammond have a new opportunity now. Hammond has pretty much a whole new roster that could go any number of ways. He has the flexibility to be dangerous in the trade market next season and a roster that could bottom out at the exact right time if things go just … wrong.

And Jennings finally gets out from under the pressure of being the face of a franchise. He’s the fourth best player on the Pistons. He has three bigs that can crash the offensive glass when he misses a layup and can spectacularly finish alley-oops when he tosses them up. He’ll have space to shoot threes and plenty of capable pick and roll partners. I’m sure he feels he has a bright future ahead of him.

It seems like he arrived in Detroit at just the right moment. Hopefully it actually is this time.

83 Comments

Twitter got me here. Good for it. Everything I read made sense. Didn’t read it all — not ‘cuz of your writing but because a gust of breeze blew closed the cover on The Book of Jennings (for me). He’s stopped mattering in my world. Although a Look Back & Sum article is surely appropriate for many.

My LB&S is just to say the BJ mistake is a combo of a kid too young to adjust and an organization too “suburban” and narrow to understand.

Like many marriages, the regrets of observers are considerable but they don’t change the outcome.

The end of last season was really not fun. We tried to talk ourselves into it, but man that was depressing.

This is a new start now. We can try to forget about it and get behind Larry first and foremost while watching Henson and Knight develop while Ers, O.J., Luke, Gary, Zaza, Ekpe, and Carlos try to keep things competitive and professional. I’m okay with all of that.

Best of luck, no ill will now that it’s over. Would’ve been nice to get him out of the division and not have to keep seeing him all the time (this is sort of like Eric Clapton taking George Harrison’s wife, if you think about it), but one must take the deal that’s there. Perfectly fine with how this played out and looking forward to the future.

Milwaukee now sucks as a people. Gonna miss you Brandon if everything is official. And when you face Milwaukee go for the kill! It’ll be easy because Brandon knight is worse Charlie bell… Oops, I mean Gary Neal. When did the name change happen?

Zach Lowe, who is an excellent writer and basketball analyst wrote this about Brandon Knight today, I watched several hours of film on Brandon Knight a couple of weeks ago, and it’s very clear, once you really dig in,that he just doesn’t read the floor all that well — that he’s a step behind figuring out how all the pieces are moving. -___-

Milwaukee now sucks as a people….? Meth? Crack? or just plain ole doobies…what is it Mr. (strange) Love?

I made comment yesterday regarding “lifelong thanks-fondness” for Jennings. He has NOT earned anything NEAR that level of respect-this trade FAVORS the Milwaukee Bucks in all aspects. On face of it, sure Pistons seem to get better end of deal.Do you honestly believe Jennings can function at a SANE level on a team where he is 4th banana? He will defeat the purpose of TEAM oriented play in Detroit- Jennings has an issue with allowing OTHERS to shine! We’ve spent 4 years with him… what did it get us? He is and always will be a HONGO… a CHUCKER a point guard who NEEDS to have his own points! Soooo long CRYBABY- take your ball and go home now. Like the new roster, im in FULL support
of Larry Drew and the players who will wear Bucks colors this season

You pretend to be a fan, but any true fan would be objective to this poop show that the bucks are hosting. The be are like many other desperate delusional folks in the common world. The bucks had money to spend and blew it all on wallpaper.

Nick Van Excel might have been able to get through to Jennings, but it would have required an attitude change that Jennings was unwilling to provide. I like our chances much better with the younger Knight going forward!

Would be a nice change to see “so called” fans actually have a positive message about the team. I have an idea- instaed of poo pooing on all the moves Hammond makes-lets look at the upside once in awhile.

This Brandon Knight was good enough to start for Pistons, but all of sudden he’s junk when we trade for him?

Lsiten to yourselves…its almost as if you EXPECT poor outcome ahead of time. I LOVE MY MILWAUKEE BUCKS- like a true fan should, good or bad times.

I love the move. We got rid of a headcase and brought in a young player who could grow. On the other hand, most of the drafts and trades anchored have been a joke. I’m definitely hoping for the best, but might as well put my name in for GM once Hammond is fired.

The thing about pg’s is that you can find them in any draft near the top, so we moved jennings for 3 players. We obviously have to move a post player before long and I’m cool with moving knight in the right deal, hopefully involving us getting a 1st rounder from someone. My guess is that we see a month of the new team before a move happens.

I agree with you HappyFeet that we should stay positive. But remember that the Pistons had Jose Calderon for a reason. Brandon Knight became the SG I believe and the Bucks didn’t bring him in for that reason (have Mayo/Neal). He has a chance to develop and humble his doubters, but it will take much effort on his part to distribute the ball better. I think he can do it with Ridnour to learn from. Jennings played better when we had Ridnour backing him up. I like the move but will guarantee another trade by the Bucks before season or mid season. Way to stay positive, we need more fans like you!

not so sure about this statement of fact regarding the bucks’ plan with knight. i think it would be more productive to be hopeful for knight to develop as any kind of useful rotational player. i myself see him with the potential of being a jamal crawford type player — combo guard with ability to handle the rock but ultimately valuable for an ability to make buckets, especially from 3 land. randall — dont pigeon hole him as needing to be some sort of pg of the future. it could happen, but we will all be better served by letting him develop into whatever it is that capitalizes best on his strengths.

Brandon Knight is really young and could end up being better than jennings!!! Jennings mistake was not taking lessons from Ridnour in his rookie year!!! Now if Ridnour takes Knight under his wing, Knight can be a SOLID PG in his 1st year with us!!!!

he needed to go. after what happened in this last month there was no trust left between him and the franchise. he just didnt pan out the way we all hoped. i honestly believe in larry drew. he got so much out of the teams he was coaching in atlanta. talent wise this years bucks team is down significantly. work ethic and chemistry should be much higher this year though. im excited for this fresh start and larry sanders seemingly being given the leader role of this team. this seasons outcome is sort of up in the air right now though. EC playoffs should be
1. Heat
2. Indiana
3. Brooklyn
4. NY
5. Chicago
6. Detroit
7/8. Atlanta/Washington/Cleveland/Milwaukee/Charlotte
i honestly hope this year is more of a learning year and we end at the 10th seed with some good picks for the draft. but i wont be mad with a 7th or 8th seed with THIS team. that would be overachieving.

Raptors are in the mix for that 7/8 seed as well, I really dont see this Bucks team doing much damage at all. I agree with you in that Bucks being the 10th seed is probably where they will land, unfortunately.

Is it really all that exciting for the Bucks to be about the same as last year — especially when they’re doing it with a bunch of vets who apparently weren’t all that highly esteemed by their former teams? Now if we had about the same record and were developing some young guys for the future… then I’d have some enthusiasm.

Good points. Even O.J. is only 24. Maybe these guys have enough upside to hope that one or two will take his game up a level or two (including maybe Khris Middleton, who I don’t know and kinda forget about).
All-in-all, I guess it’s just a matter of degree… the number of vets we signed. Couldn’t we have signed one or two younger ones with the possibility for big improvement, and one or two older ones like Luke and Zaza to bolster the backup corps? Why O.J. and Carlos and Gary and Brandon? I’d like to see more young guys who we haven’t seen much of yet (though Giannis is really, really on the young and inexperienced side of the spectrum).
Hey, maybe we package a few of these guys to get Rajon Rondo, although I’m not so sure about his leg or his head. He is great, though! Tough call.

Chemistry is the key here. I think the Bucks will still finish higher than the Pistons. Our roster has been almost completely reset, but there are 15-16 players now that all are willing to give everything to help each other and the team I believe. Jennings was a lot greater, even with the same stats, when he was younger an innocent. I remember watching video of him entering Milwaukee as a rookie and how happy he was to belong to a franchise. I still like Jennings and think he will develop into a great player and an even great person. I just wonder if that will happen next season or in 2020. I mean I wore his jersey to the Bucks Luncheon last year and every single player signed it but him. The dude took off like a bat outta hell. I even got to hang out and chat with most of the players, but didn’t see Jennings…Even if he was a superstar I would hope he would make more time for the team and the fans. Great news for Bucks and their fans: this team can be pretty good in the East based on the ability to build chemistry. The greatest move this off season will be the addition of Larry Drew and his coaching staff. I’m not sure Brandon Knight should be our starting PG, but this is something that will get situated. I really hope Giannis surprises and develops quickly. Maybe even get lucky and strike a really good player in Wolters. That kind of surprise could make this team great, and I think that’s why Hammond should be praised for what he’s been able to do: keep the team good and filled with excitement (and picked up a bunch of assets in 2nd round picks). Every contract is manageable on our team now and we have plenty of flexibility and can be great in the trade market. I don’t care about getting a top 5 draft pick (doesn’t guarantee nothing but the fact that the team sucked the previous year!). Special thanks to Herb Kohl!!!

Are you serious? What kind of fan wouldn’t want an autographed jersey? You stupid for that comment. I think thousands of people would agree. He didn’t sign nothing for no kids either if that makes you feel better about your ridiculous comment. You wouldn’t sign sH** because you probably don’t know how to sign your own damn name. Get real son. If you were a Heat fan and was wearing a LeBron James jersey and was hanging out in hotel lobby with him, you wouldn’t want his autograph? Seriously? Being a fan of a team makes you a kid in a way. You cheer on grown a** men, so now you’re a grown folk for being a cheerleader Sillybilly? We are all kids, that’s what makes things fun, and don’t forget that!!!

If we’re kooky enough to root for these guys trying to put a ball in a basket, and making millions of dollars for doing so, I don’t see anything wrong with wanting autographs. I really don’t understand why I invest so much of myself in the Bucks, but I have for more than 40 years. I agree with Randall when he writes, “Being a fan of a team makes you a kid in a way.” Maybe that’s not so bad. Maybe there is even something good about it.

SillyBilly, you’re a little edgier than I remember, but I like reading your opinions on this and other matters. In this case, though, even if you’re not into the autograph and photograph scene, I don’t understand why you would begrudge others who enjoy it.

The point that’s being marginalized in the comparison of the Brandon’s is that Brandon Knight was surrounded with possibly the worst offensive supporting casts in the league during his two seasons in Detroit.

People often say Brandon Jennings had no offensive help, but Monta, Funleavy, Redick, and Ersan are orders of magnitude better as offensive options than what Brandon Knight was surrounded with.

Still think he has a way to go to be the answer for us at pg, but there is no reason to believe that the new Brandon can’t be better at winning games right out of the box than the old Brandon.

You are right the Pistons supporting cast has been abysmal but doesn’t it say something about Knight that the Pistons elected to run their half court offense through their Power Forward instead of their Point Guard?

If you’re saying his pg skills are a little under-developed I’d agree, but from what I watched of the pistons last year it seemed like Calderon was running the show most of the time.

Anyway aside from about a week last season Brandon Jennings ability to play pg in the conventional sense (as distributor) wasn’t very impressive.

The only regard in which Knight has big shoes to fill is in limiting his turnovers.

Personally Im betting that Ridnour will start out of the gate given knights underwhelming statistical production thus far and Drew’s past approach to developing a young Teague by easing him into the starting role.

Yes, that is what I was saying. Calderon was only there for 28 games and Knight was moved to SG during that time but for the rest of the season they often started their offense in the high post with Greg Monroe.

Specifically Knight’s Pick and Roll ball handling worries me. He turned the ball over on 21% of them and his Points per Possession was only 0.69. He’s young enough where he could improve in that regard but those are still worrisome statistics to me if he is going to be the primary ball handler especially when players like Ersan and Larry get a large portion of their baskets out of Pick and Roll (Pop) sets.

If you really paid attention to my post, then we may have a long and happy relationship…now that both Ellis and Jennings are ..well ..a thing of the past.

My point was not that Jennings should be paid $12M, but that if the Bucks game him $36 – 3 year but he didn’t get contract last year then it was more like $39 4 yrs or under $10… which I am okay with. Bucks pay Jennings $10 I am on record saying that I am okay with.

But he is gone…and so you WON…

Do you really want me to be a Pistons fan because I am no longer welcome here? Because I wanted too much? I pouted? I hate Milwaukee:?

Na Patti I like you, I really do. I want you to remain a bucks fan and I appreciate you almost always positive posts. And sorry for being a poor winner and a Jennings h8r. But I’m really not alone in that regard, go to brewhoop and there are hundreds of comments berating him with statistical justification. I have probably taken it too far so Im going to let it go.

Jennings may turn out to do really well with the Pistons, who knows? I just prefer someone that I know will be team oriented at pg even if he’s a little less spectacular.

So it seems that very few, if any, of the fans on this blog (nor Jeremy & Co.) are concerned that the Bucks have signed three centers and four shooting guards but not anyone at small forward and only a 32-year-old journeyman at point guard in Luke Ridnour (I actually like Luke a lot, but he is a backup). Without a top point guard, who directs all these new guys on the court and gets them the ball for good shots? I like Ish a lot, too, but am not all that confident that either him or Luke is the guy who should be starting at point for the Bucks this season. Also, I’d like to be developing more young guys than having this glut of middling veterans. Maybe two or three vets for stability and guidance, but what is it now, seven or eight, none of them all that outstanding?
P.S. Glad to have Patti#1 back to add to the conversation.

Do you think Brandon Knight was good at point last season, or has the potential to be good at point in the future, or even really wants to be a pass-first point in the NBA? Sincere questions. When I say good, I mean is he good enough to lead a team into the upper echelons of the NBA.

But there are a lot of things said that well, I’m just not buying into ya da ha ya da…..but it is what it is.

So I would like to move on and look forward to Bucks 2013-14. However, put me on record as saying that Brandon for Brandon does not make us a “better” team at Point Guard. We did get at SF in the deal so we have another SF.

We’re taller, which is a good thing and after that I really have to see this “team” on the court with coaches and whatever their plan is. Seems obvious that our new coach has a plan so bring it on!

I’d agree probably not better at pg, but i think we’re better as a team with some of the other additions (including the coaches) and we maintained cap flexibility to extend Larry and bring in future talent if possible.

Hey, Patti, no fair… no one has mentioned Tobias in all of the comments above, even me.
If we can’t comment about where the Bucks have been and where they’re going — and instead just trust the coach and general manager and owner — then what’s the point of this blog? I admit that there’s a ton I don’t know about the Bucks and the NBA, but I am sincere, and like to think I have something worthwhile to add. In the end, all of us are going to be rooting for the Bucks this season like we always do, even those of us who are more questioning, or even skeptical, about the current direction of the team. Good, honest, respectful debate is a good thing, isn’t it?

Jennings has massive potential, but is a horrible fit for Milwaukee. Brandon Knight isn’t anything special when it comes to driving, but he is bigger than Jennings. I think Knight could be amazing at times with Mayo Ersan Delfino Sanders out there with him, other times just around mediocre… If he can get the ball to Sanders/Henson at a great assist turnover ratio, he never has been that amazing though. But if Drew can have the effect he had on Teague, he should become a better defender and passer. Knight is two years younger, and an amazing scorer. Jennings has more raw talent, however less size. I think the Pistons could help BJ get 10 apg, He isn’t as good as Chris Paul but he does have a similar play style.

I’m not sure if you guys realize this or not but this is a better team than Milwaukee had last year lol. They will be a much more unselfish team that can actually shoot the ball. You kept your best assets in this offseason with henson, sanders and ilyasova and let the two people bringing your team down go and you got something in return for 1 of them (not including reddick which they got 2 picks for). Their team will probably have a lot more chemistry than they did last year and probably could learn to grow together. At the same time though I don’t think this is a good thing. It’s no guarantee that they would get the #1 pick next year if they completely tanked but I think that would’ve been to our benefit. I think Hammond wants to build around the core of they players they have right now to develop for the future, and waiting one more year to start the rebuilding point I think would’ve been a much better idea, gaining a very early pick for the draft next year and building around them. I really wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucks hover right around the same W/L as they had last year, if not a little better.

Anyone else still waiting for that one BIG trade that finalizes this offseason.
We have some pretty favorable trade pieces IMO, not enough to get someone like LeBron, but enough to get a B to A- type player. Maybe we could do something to get a early first round pick even.
Our trade chips:
1. Billions of 2nd round picks
2. Young-ish players whose ceilings haven’t caved in on them… yet (see: centers with long, hard-to-pronounce last names)
3. Someone who could help a team with center/ PF depth issues in Epke Udoh
4. Ability to swap first-round pick
5. If its a really good deal for us and its necessary- Ersan Ilyasova
6. We could do another PG swap with Brandon Knight
Trade targets:
1. Decent to good point guard
2. Serviceable SF (better than Delfino)
3. Young guy with potential
4. A project (just not at SF with GA)
5. Good draft pick
One trade away from going from 8-9-10 seed to 5-6-7 seed. I think we all want to see what else Hammond has up his sleeve.
Thoughts? Comments? Discussions? Arguments? Just want to tell me I’m a complete moron?

I do not think Miami would consider trading Lebron for anyone, any amount, on any team. Without him, they are no longer as serious contenders, and this could be their last year with him. Just FYI on that.

Warning though on the “going from 8-9-10 seed to 5-6-7 seed” that is exactly what we tried last season before the trade deadline, and it went horribly. We could stack some of the excess centers we have for a good sf possibly, but I’d be careful on trading some of the serious signings we have just made.

I love this trade! Brandon “No Heart” Jennings is very immature and I got a little sick of him playing no defense and showing no leadership. It is disappointing that he didn’t grow more as a person/leader for the team. I’m happy to get a bigger, younger point guard that will be paid 6 million over the next 2 years instead of the most inconsistent point guard in the league for 3 years, 24 million. I honestly don’t know what Detroit was thinking??!!